A workshop from the GR-specialist of the "Podary zhizn" charity foundation

Olga Zenyukova, GR-specialist of the "Podary zhizn" charity foundation, gave a lecture to the students of our master's program as part of the course “Management of Integrated Communication Campaigns in Non-Profit Organizations”.

As part of the course "Management of Integrated Communication Campaigns in Non-Profit Organizations", students of our master's program were given a lecture by an invited speaker from the "Podary zhizn" charity foundation.

Olga Zenyukova, GR-specialist, shared her many years of experience in this field with the undergraduates. Olga spoke about what GR is in non-profit organizations and how GR in the non-profit sector differs from GR in companies aimed at making a profit.

The guest lecturer described several basic principles of a GR specialist in an NGO.

1. First of all, Olga is sure that it is not entirely correct to use the terms “lobbyism” and “lobby” in NGOs. The meanings of these words when talking about the third sector acquire a negative connotation. Here, rather, it would be more correct to use all the same familiar word to all of us - "communicate". After all, the task of a GR-specialist in the field of NGO is to build comfortable and long-term relationships between his organization and other companies, and not to persistently promote something.
2. It is also important to understand that a government relations specialist must build communications not only external, but also internal. He must have a trusting relationship with his colleagues and always be informationally aware of what is happening inside the company in order to competently build a strategy for interaction with the outside world.
3. The ability to properly interact with representatives of other companies and conduct effective negotiations is also an equally important skill: do not forget that a GR specialist builds relationships not between himself and this representative, but between him and his organization.